Machine for applying stays to soft-metal tubes.



S. H. FLEMING & 0. A. LANGOS.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING STAYS TO SOFT METAL TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJS, 1912 1,051,095. Patented Jan.21,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRMH CDJVASI'HNGTON, D C

s. H. FLEMING & 0. A. LANGOS.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING STAYS TO SOFT METAL TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJS, 1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S. H. FLEMING & O. A.-LANGOS. MAOHINE FOR 'APPLYING STAYS T0 SOFT METALTUBES.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.6, 1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

5 SHEET S-SHEBT 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. \VAS HlNGTO-N. u, c.

S. H. FLEMING & O. A. LANGOS.

MAGHINE FOR APPLYING STAYS T0 SOFT METAL TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.6, 1912.

1,051,095, Patented Jan.21, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

herai ras' cuLuMlsm PLANUURAPH uu., \m umm'nm, u. c.

S. H. FLEMING 8; 0. A. LANGOS.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING STAYS TO SOFT METAL TUBES.

APPLICATION TILED FEB-6, 1912. 1,051,095. Patented Jan.21, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

, w ll&\\\\\\ UNTTE STEPHEN I-I. FLEMING AND OTTO A. LANGOS, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO LUTHER. L. MILLER, TRUSTEE, OFCHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

Application filed February 6, 1912. Serial No. 675,843.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, STEPHEN H. FLEM- ING andOrro A. LANGOS, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago,county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machines for Applying Stays to Soft-Metal Tubes,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to machines for applying stays to soft metal tubesand more particularly to machines for assembling the soft metal sleevesand stays of screw anchors, such as set forth in United States LettersPatent No. 1,005,630, granted to Stephen H. Fleming on October 10, 1911.

The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter setfort-h, illustrated in the preferred form in the accom panying drawingsand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved machine. Fig. 2is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1. Figs.2, 2 and 2 are detail views of certain cams used in the machine. Fig. 3is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a detail sect-ion onthe line 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a partial horizontal section on the line5 of Fig. 3, the parts being shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a.partial plan section similar to Fig. 5 with the parts shown in adifferent position. Fig. 7 is a detail cross section on line 7 of Fig.6. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail cross sections on the lines 8 and 9,respectively, of Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section on the line10-10 of Fig. 1, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 11 is.an enlarged detail cross section on the line 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is anenlarged view of a screw anchor which is assembled by the machine. Fig.13 is a perspective view of one of the stays which were applied to thesoft metal tube or sleeve of the screw anchor.

The screw anchor set forth in United States Letters Patent No.1,005,630, above referred to, and which is assembled by the presentimproved machine, comprises a cylinder or sleeve a of lead or like softmetal, which is preferably formed of a coiled, soft metal strip, asindicated in Fig. 12. The soft metal sleeve is provided withstrengthening stays Z) of brass or the like, and in the form shown, twoof these stays are applied to opposite sides of the sleeve. The staysare provided with teeth 6 which are struck up from the body of the stay,as indicated in Fig. 13, and the stays are applied to the sleeve or tubea by forcing the teeth into the soft metal body thereof, as indicated inFig. 12. e

The present improved machine comprises a presser device for applying thestays to the tube by forcing the teeth of the stay into the tube,together with means for feeding the tubes and stays to the presserdevice and means for guiding or holding the tubes and stays in parallelrelation as they are operated upon by the presser device. Preferably,the machine is arranged to receive the soft metal tube in a continuouslength and the stays in continuous strips and means are provided forsevering the tubes and stays into sections to form the separate screwanchors.

The clamping means for centering and holding the soft metal tube a asthe stays are applied thereto comprises a pair of jaws 1 which arerelatively movable together and apart. In the form shown, both jawsreciprocate and for this purpose are mounted upon the inner ends of apair of slides 2.- The jaws shown are U-shaped (see Fig.5), fit over theinner ends of the slides 2 and are secured thereto by screws 3. Theinner, longitudinally extending portions of the jaws 1 fit withinrecesses formed in the upstanding side portions 2 of the slide 2 (seeFigs. 7, 8, 9 and 10) and these inner portions of the jaws are providedwith beveled faces 1 which are arranged to engage and center the tube a.The slides 2 and jaws 1 thereon reciprocate to and from each other toengage and disengage the tube a in a transverse direction over the baseplate 4: of the machine. Pairs of L-shaped guides 5 are secured to thebase plate 1 by screws 6 and engage the lower portions of the slides 2and the inwardly offset portions of the guides engage grooves formed inthe side faces of the slides, as most clearly shown in Fig. 10.

The slides 2 and jaws 1 thereon are reciprocated by a pair of operatinglevers 7 which are pivotally connected to the base plate 4 byscrews 8(see Figs. 1, 5 and 6). These levers are preferably formed of outer andinner sections 7 and 7 both of the sections of each lever being pivotedupon one of the screws 8. The outer end of the inner section 7 a isconnected to the outer section 7, by a pair of adjusting screws 9threaded through lugs 10 on the outer section into engagement with theouter end of the inner lever sections 7 The inner lever sections 7extend through openings formed in the guides 5 and slides 2 and arepivotally connected to the slides by pins 11 extending are slightlyelongated, as indicated in Fig. 5. The outer ends of the levers (seeFig. 1) extend beneath amain operating shaft 13 and are provided withrollers 1.4 which are arranged to engage cams 15 on the shaft 13. A'coiled spring 16 extends between pins 17 on the outer ends of the leversections 7 and hold the rollers 14 in engagement with the cams 15. Theyalso hold the slides 2 and jaws 1 thereon in the open position shown inFigs. 8 and 9, when the rollers 14 engage the low portions of the cams15. When the high portions of the cams engage the rollers, the leversare shifted against the tension of the spring 16 and the slides 2 andjaws 1 are moved inwardly to engage and position the tube a, as shown inFig. 7. By means of the screws 9 the position of the slides and jawsthereon can be adjusted with reference to the operating means.

Each of the jaws 1 (see Figs. 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10) is provided between thebeveled faces 1 thereof, with transverse guide-ways 18 which extendparallel to the beveled faces 1 which are arranged in the horizontalcentral portion of the jaws. These guide-ways are adapted to receive thestays b; and slots 19, which extend between the guide-ways and the innerfaces of the jaws, are adapted to receive the teeth 6 of the staystrips. At one portion the slots 19 are closed by portions 20 which areformed in piece with the aws and which extend across the slots 19. Thefaces of these portions 20 with which the teeth 5 come in contact,arebeveled, as most clearly indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. e

The presser devices for forcing the stays into the tube comprise a pairof plungers 21 mounted upon the slides 2 and which are arranged toreciprocate thereon between their side portions 2. The plungers 21 areprovided with inner reduced working. ends 22 which are adapted to beprojected transversely into the inner portions of the guideways 18 toforce the stay strips Z) into the Preferably, also, the presser devicesor plungers 22 cooperate with the portions 20 to sever the stay stripsinto sections. That is to say, these parts are soft metal. tube a.

hardened and are provided with cooperat- I ing cutting edges, so that,as the plungers 22 are advanced to press the stay strips into the tube,the strips are forced against the cutting edges of the portions 20 andsevered, as indicated inFig. 6. The parts are so arranged that theplungers engage the teeth 7), to some extent, with the soft metal tube abefore cut-ting off the inner portions of the stays. In this way, thestays are so held in position that they are properly attached to thetube. The inner working faces of the v plungers 22 are preferablyslightly concaved, as indicated in Fig. 7 through openings 12 in thelevers which 1 The plungers 21 having the working poritions 22 thereon,are shifted by a pair of zlevers 23 (see Fig. 1) which are connected tothe base plate by pivot bolts 24. Screws 25 adjustably threaded throughthe inner which are secured to these side portions by 1 screws 28. Thesecover plates are provided with slots 29 and pins 30 on the plungers 21extend upwardly through the slots.

31 extend between these pins and a pair of pins 32 fixed to the outerends of the two of the guides 5. These springs tend to re- Springs tractthe plungers and hold them in engagelevers 23.

ment with the screws 25 on theoperating The springs also serve to holdrollers 33 on the outer ends of the levers in engagement with a pair ofoperating cams 34 on the drive shaft 13. WVhen the rollers 33 engage thelow portions of the cams 34, the plungers 21 and working portions 22thereof are retracted, as shown in Fig. 5. When the high portions of thecams engage the rollers, the plungers are advanced to cut off sectionsof the stay strips and press them into the soft metal tube, as indicatedin Figs. 6 and 7.

The main drive shaft 13 is jo-urnaled in suitable bearings 35 on the bedplate and is provided at one end with a gear 36 which meshes with apinion 37 on a counter-shaft 38. The counter-shaft is journaled insuitable bearings 39 on the bed plate and is provided on one end with afly-wheel 40 and at its opposite end with a grooved pulley 41 by whichit may be driven from a motor or other suitable source of POWIQI'. Ifdesired, the counter-shaft 38 may be turned by hand.

The soft metal tube a. is directed into position between the clampingjaws 1 by a guide block 42 (see Figs. 3, 5 and 10), the lower end ofwhich is arranged in a recess in one of the guides 5 and is securedthereto by a screw 43. The block extends upwardly from the guide 5 andis provided at its upper end with an opening 44, the axis of which liesin the central horizontal plane of the clamping jaws 1 and through whichthe tube a is guided into posit-ion to be engaged by the jaws. Thisblock is provided with guide grooves 45 (see Fig. 3) for the teeth I) ofthe stay strips and, when the latter are acted upon by the workingplungers 22, the stay strips are gripped between the side edges of theblock 42 and a pair of clamping devices. These clamping devices comprisea pair of arms 46, the lower ends of which are arranged within recessesin the horizontal guide 5 and are pivotally connected thereto by pins orscrew bolts 47, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Each of the arms isprovided with a sharpened prong or tooth 48 which is set within atransverse opening therein and held in place by a set screw 49. When theclamp arms 46 are shifted inwardly toward each other, the prongs orteeth 48 engage the stay strips 7), as indicated in Fig. 6, and hold thestrips 'in position while they are acted upon by the working plungers22.

The clamp arms 46 are shifted by a pair of levers 50 (see Fig. 3) whichare pivotally connected adjacent their lower ends by screws 51 to ablock 52 on the bed plate 4. The lower ends of these arms are connectedto the outer ends of a pair of links 53. The inner ends of these linksare upturned and connected by pivot screws 54 to the clamp arms 46. Theoperating arms or levers 50 for the clamp arms are provided with rollers55 which are arranged to engage cams 56 upon a longitudinally extendingshaft 57. This shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 58 (see Fig. 1)upon the bed plate and its rear end is connected to the drive shaft 13by a pair of beveled gears 59. A spring 60 extends between the upperends of the levers 50 and holds the rollers 55 in engagement with thecams 56. When the rollers engage the low portions of the cams, the clamparms 46 are forced inwardly by the spring 60 to bring the gripping teeth48 thereon into engagement with the stay strips 6, as indicated in Figs.3 and 6, and when the high parts of the cams 56 engage the rollers, theclamp arms 46 are moved and the gripping teeth or prongs are shifted outof engagement with the stay strips, as indicated in Fig. 5, to permitthe feeding move ment thereof. The upper ends of the arms are extendedto form finger pieces, so that they may be readily separated to permitthe insertion of the stay strips Z) in starting the operation of themachine.

Intermittently acting feed mechanism is provided for advancing the tubea and the stay strips Z) to the clamping and presser devices. This feedmechanism comprises a reciprocating feeder or slide 61 (see Figs. 1, 2,5 and 10). The feeding slide 61 is arranged to reciprocate between apair of guides 62 which are provided with lips 63 (see Fig. 2) engaginggrooves in the side faces of the slide 61. The feeding slide is providedwith an upwardly projecting portion 64 having a longitudinally extendingopening 65 therei through which the soft metal tube (1, extends. Atransverse slot 66 extends from the upper face of the portion 64 of thefeeding slide and communicates with the inner portion of thelongitudinal opening or bore 65, as shown in Fig. 10. A gripping deviceis arranged to project through the opening 66 into engagement with thetube ato engage and advance the tube as the feeding slide is advanced.This gripping device comprises an arm 67 which is pivotally mountedbetween a pair of ears 68 upon a cross pin 69. The ears 68 are formedupon a clip 70 which is secured to the upper face of the portion 64 ofthe feeding slide by screws 71.

The inner end of the arm 67 is provided with a gripping prong 72, andthe opposite end of the arm is arranged to be engaged by a spring 73which is coiled about a pin 74 on the upper outer end portion of thepart 64. The spring tends to shift the arm and project the grippingprong 72 through the opening 66 into engagement with the metal tube a.The tube is thus gripped during the forward movement of the feedingslide 61. Upon the backward movement of the feeding slide the grippingdevice 67 is released by a shifter arm 75 which is pivotally mountedupon an upright 76 on the bed plate (see Fig. 2) and which is providedat its inner end with a cross arm 77 which is adapted to engage a roller78 on the outer end of the gripping arm 67, as indicated in Fig. 10.

The upper projecting portion 64 of the feeding slide 61 is provided withgrooves 79 (see Fig. 2) for receiving the tooth b of the stay strips 1).The stay strips are clamped against the side faces of the portions 64 bya pair of gripping devices which comprise arms 80 connected to the baseportion of the slide 61 by vertical pivot pins 81. The inner ends ofthese arms are provided with gripping teeth or prongs 82 held in placeby set screws 83 (see Fig. 1) and the outer ends of the arms arearranged to be engaged by a pair of springs 84 which are coiled about apair of screw bolt-s 85 fixed to the outer end of the slide 61, as shownin Fig. 2. These springs hold the gripping devices in engagement withthe stays during the forward movement of the feeding slide. During thebackward movement of the slide, the gripping devices 80 are released bya pair of shifters 86 which are pivotally connected at their inner endsto the guides 62 by screws 87 and which are arranged to engage a pair ofrollers 88 on the outer end of the gripping arm.

The feeding slide 61 is reciprocated by a lever 90 (see Fig. 1) which isconnected between its ends to the base plate by a pivot bolt 91. Theinner end of the lever extends into a recess in the feeding slide 61 andis connected thereto by a pin 92 (see Fig. 10). The outer end of thelever has an upwardly projecting lug 93 which is pivoted to one end of apitman rod or link 94. The opposite end of the link engages the crankpin 95 of a disk 96 which is fixed to the end of the main operatingshaft 13.

The releasing shifters 86 are connected at their forward ends to theupturned ends of a pair of links 97 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The outer endsof these links are connected to the lower ends of a pair of arms 98which are pivotally connected by screws 99 to an upright 100 on the baseplate. The upper ends of these arms are provided with rollers 101 thatare arranged to engage a pair of cams 102 on the forward end of theshaft 57. .A spring 103 extends between a pair of pins 104 on the links97 and holds the rollers 101 in engagement with the cams 102. Thereleasing shift lever is provided on its outer end with a roller 105which engages a cam 106 on the shaft 57. A spring 107 extends betweenthe outer end of the arm or lever 75 and a fixed pin 108 (see Fig. 1)and holds the roller 105 into engagement with the cam 106.

On the forward movement of the feeding slide 61, the rollers on the arms98 and 75 engagethe low portions of the cams 102 and 106, respectively,and the releasing shifters are held by the springs 108 and 107 out ofengagement with the rollers on the gripping devices 67 and 80. Thus,during the forward movement of the feeding slide 61, the grippingdevices 67 and are in engagement with the tube a and stay strips 1) toadvance the same. At this time the jaws 1 and clamp arms 46 areretracted so that the tube and stay strips can be advanced between thejaws and between the inner ends of the presser devices or plungers 22.On the backward movement of the feeding slide, the rollers of the arms98 and 75 are in engagement with the high portions of the cams 102 and106 so that the gripping devices 67 and 80 are held disengaged from thetube a and stay strips Z). During this backward shift of the feedingslide, the clamp jaws 1 and gripping devices 46 en gage the tube andstay strips and hold them in position to be operated upon by theplungers 22. By this arrangement, there is no danger that the tube andstay strips will be drawn backward by the return shift of the feedingslide 61. The cams 102 are preferably so arranged that the grippingdevices 80 are disengaged from the stay strips before the feeding slidecompletes its forward movement and before the cam 106 operates thereleasing shifter 75 for the gripping device 67. In this way, the tube'a'is advanced at each operation somewhat farther than the stay strips 6.By reason of this arrangement, the sections which are severed from thestay strips and applied to the tube are spaced apart, as indicated inFigs. 5 and 6. As the tube a with the sections of the stay stripsapplied thereto, moves beyond the jaws .1, it passes through an opening109 in a block 110 (see Figs. 1, 6 and 11). This guide block fits upon alongitudinal rib 111 on the bed plate 4 and is adustably connectedthereto by a set screw 112. A rotary knife 113 is arranged in engagementwith the rear face of the block 110, for severing the tube a intosections. This knife is mounted upon a disk 114 which is adjustablyfixed to a short longitudinally: extending shaft 115 by a set screw 116.This shaft is ournaled in suitable bearings 117 on the bed plate and itsrear end is connected by a pair of beveled gears 118 to the' main driveshaft 13. The knife is provided with a spiral edge so as to operate witha shear out. In operation the knife and the block 110 which cotiperatestherewith, are adjusted so that the knife will sever the tube a; atpoints between the sections of the stay strips 6, as indicated in Fig.6. The completed screw anchors, as they are cut off by the knife 113fall upon an inclined chute 119 (see Figs. 1 and 11) and are directedthereby to an opening 120 in the base plate. The chute 119 is preferablyformed of sheet metal and is provided with a bent, offset portion 121which is secured to the block 110 by screws 122.

The shafts 13, 57 and 115 are geared together to rotate at the samespeed and one operation is completed during each revolution of theseshafts.

In operating the machine, the tube a and the stay strips 6 are placed inposition. The forward movement of the feeding slide 61 advances the softmetal tube and the stay strips, as described, and advances the tubeslightly farther than the stay strips. During this forward movement ofthe feeding slide, the jaws 1, the presser devices or plungers 22 andthe clamp arms 46 are in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 5. As thefeeding slide approaches the end of its forward movement, the grippingdevices 80 for the stay strips are first released by the shifters 86 andthen the gripping device 67 for the feed tube is released by the shifter75. In this way, the tube a is fed forwardly into position between thegripping jaws 1 step by step and the stay strips 6 are fed forwardlystep by step into the guide-ways 18 of the jaws, the tube and staystrips being in parallel relation. The jaws 1 and gripping devices 46are then advanced to engage and centerthe tube and hold the stay stripsin position during the backward movement of the feeding slide and duringthe operating movement of the presser devices or plungers 22. The latterare then advanced to sever sections from the stay strips 7) and forcethem into the soft metal tube a, as indicated in Fig. 6. At eachoperation of the machine, the knife 113 severs a section from the tube ato which the stay sections have already been applied and thereby forms acompleted screw anchor.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made without departure fromthe essentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

e claim as our invention 1. In a machine for applying stays to softmetaltubes, the combination of a presser device for applying the stay to thetube, guides for directing the tube and stay in parallel relation tosaid presser device, and means for feeding the tube and stay incontinuous length through said guides.

2. In a machine for applying stays to softmetal tubes, the combinationof a presser device for applying the stay to the tube, guides fordirecting the tubes and stay in parallel relation to said presserdevice, means for feeding the tube and stay in continuous lengthsthrough said guides, and a cutter for severing the tube into sections.

8. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof guiding means for holding the tube and stay in parallel relation,feed mechanism for advancing continuous lengths of the tube and staystrips through said guiding means, and a presser device for severing thestay strip into sections and applying the latter to the tube.

4. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof a presser device for applying the stay to the tube, clamping meansfor holding the tube and stay in parallel relation and in position to beoperated upon by said presser device, intermittently acting feedmechanism for advancing continuous lengths of the tube and stay to saidclamping means, and means for successively operating said feedmechanism, said clamping means and said presser device.

5. In a machine for applying stays to softv metal tubes, the combinationof a presser device for applying the stay to the tube, clamping meansfor holding the tube and stay in parallel relation and in position to beoperated upon by said presser device, intermittently acting feedmechanism for advancing continuous lengths of the tube and stay to saidclamping means, a cutter for severing the tube into sections and meansfor operating said feed mechanism, clamping means, presser device andcutter.

6. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof intermittently acting feed mechanism for advancing continuous lengthsof the tube and stay in parallel relation, clamping means for engagingthe tube and stay, a presser device for severing the stay strip intosections and applying the same to the tube, and means for operating saidfeed mechanism, clamping means and presser device.

7. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combmationof clamping means for engaging and holding the tube and stay in parallelrelation, feed mechanism for advancing the tube and stay in continuouslengths to said clamping means and a presser device operating throughsaid clamping means for applyingthe stay to the tube.

8. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof clamping means for engaging and centering the tube, guides fordirecting continuous lengths of the tube and stay to said clampingmeans, feed mechanism for intermittently advancing the tube and staystrips through said guides, a presser device cooperating with saidclamping means for applying the stay to the tube, and a cutter forsevering the tube into sections.

9. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging the tube, means for feeding thetube and stay in parallel re lation through said aws, and a plunger forpressing the stays into the tube.

10. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tube, meansfor feeding and guiding the tube and stay to said jaws in parallelrelation, and a plunger operating through one of said jaws for applyingthe stay to the tube.

11. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tube, one ofsaid jaws having a guideway for the stay, a plunger operating throughsaid guideway for applying the stay to the tube, and mechanism forfeeding the tubes and stays through said jaws and guideway.

12. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tube, one ofsaid jaws having a guideway for the stay, a plunger operating throughsaid guideway for applying the stay to the tube, intermittently actingfeed mechanism for advancing continuous lengths of the tube and stay inparallel relation through said jaws and guideway, and means forsuccessively operating said jaws and said plunger.

13. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tube, one ofsaid jaws having a guideway for the stay, a plunger operating throughsaid guideway for applying the stay to the tube, intermittently actingfeed mechanism for advancing continuous lengths of the tube and stay inparallel relation to said jaws and guideway, a cutter for severing thetube into sections, and means for operating said feed mechanism, jaws,plunger and cutter.

14. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tube, feedmechanism for advancing the tube and stay strips through said jaws, anda plunger cooperating with said jaws for severing the stay strips intosections and applying the same to the tube.

15. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof relatively movable jaws for engaging and centering the tubes, one ofsaid jaws having a guideway for the stay, intermittently acting feedmechanism for advancing the tube and stay strip through said jaws andsaid guide way, a reciprocating plunger operating tering the tube, oneof said jaws having a guideway for the stay strip, a clamp for engagingthe stay strip and holding the same 1n said guideway, intermittentlyacting feed mechanism for advancing the tube and stay strip through saidjaws and guideway, and a presser device operating through one of saidjaws for applying the stay to the tube.

17 In a machine for applying stay strips to soft metal tubes, thecombination of a pair of opposed reciprocating jaws for engaging andcentermg the tube, said aws having guideways for the stay strips, clampsfor engaging and holding the stay strips, intermittently acting feedmechanism for advancing the tube to said jaws and for advancing the staystrips to said clamps and guideways, and plungers reciprocating throughsaid jaws for applying the stays to the tube.

18. In a machine for applying stay strips to soft metal tubes, thecombination of a pair of opposed reciprocating jaws for engaging andcentering the tube, said jaws having guideways for the stay strips,clamps for engaging and holding the stay strips, intermittently actingfeed mechanism for advancing the tube to said jaws and for advancing thestay strips to said clamps and guideways, plungers operating throughsaid soft metal tubes, the combination of a presser device for applyingthe stay to the tube, clamping means for holding the stay and tube inparallel relation and in position to be operated upon by said presserdevice, a reciprocating feeder for advancing the tube and stay incontinuous lengths to said clamping means, gripping devices on saidfeeder for engaging the tube and stay and means for throwing saidgripping devices into and out of operation as said feeder isreciprocated.

20. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof clamping means for holding the tube and stay in parallel relation, apresser device operating through said clamping means for applying thestay to the tube, a reciprocating feeder for advancing the tube and stayin continuous lengths to said clamping means, pivoted, spring-heldgrippers onsaid reciprocating feeder for engaging the tube and stay, andshifters arranged to release said grippers upon the backward movement ofsaid feeder.

21. In a machine for applying stay strips to soft metal tubes, thecombination of clamping means for holding the tube and stay strip inparallel relation, a plunger for severing the stay strip into sectionsand applying the same to the tube, intermittently acting feed mechanismfor the tube and stay strip arranged to advance the tube farther thanthe strip, and a cutter for severingthe tube into sect-ions.

22. In a machine for applying stay strips to soft metal tubes, thecombination of clamping means for holding the tube and stay strip inparallel relation, a plunger for severing the stay strip into sectionsand applying the same to the tube, a reciprocating feeder, grippersthereon for engaging the tube and stay strip, and means for successivelyreleasing the stay engaging gripper and the tube engaging gripperwhereby the tube is advanced farther than the stay, and a cutter forsevering the tube into sections.

23. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof opposed reciprocating jaws for engaging and centering the tube, saidjaws having guideways for the stay strip, plungers operatinglongitudinally through said jaws and transversely through said guidewaysfor applying the stays to the tub-e, a reciprocating feeder, grippingdevices on said feeder for engaging the tube and stay strips, andshifters for releasing said gripping devices upon the backward movementof said feeder;

24. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof a pair of opposed reciprocating jaws for engaging and centering thetube, said jaws having guideways for the stay strips, plungersreciprocating longitudinally through said jaws and transversely throughsaid grooves for severing the stay strips into sections and applying thesame to the tube, guides for directing the tube and stay strip to saidjaws in parallel relation, a reciprocating feeder for advancing the tubeand stay strips through said guides, gripping devices on saidreciprocating feeder for engaging the tube and stay strips upon theforward movement of the feeder, and shifters arranged to engage saidgripping devices and release the same upon the backward movement of thefeeder.

25. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof means for applying a stay to the tube; and means for holding the stayto the tube in position to be operated upon by said applying means.

26. In a machine for applying stays to soft metal tubes, the combinationof a device for applying the stay to the tube; means for holding thestay and the tube in parallel relation and in position to be operatedupon by said device; and a cutter for severing the tube into sections.

27. In a machine of the character described, the combination of meansfor applying stays to tubes and for severing the stay strips intosections; and means for holding the stays and the tubes in parallelrelation and in position to be operated upon by said applying means.

STEPHEN H. FLEMING. OTTO A. LANGOS.

l/Vitnesses ELEANOR HAGENON, KATHARINE GERLAGH.

Copies 'of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

